Cheeseburger Nachos

I knocked these out of the park. I really, really did. They were SO GOOD.

Last week I posted about my //Buffalo Chicken Nachos// and how they just barely won a contest for which recipe I would make next – well these came in a very close second. I had been tossing this idea around in my head and wasn’t quite sure how to execute it till I did some serious thinking. I didn’t want just any ol’ plain ol’ ground beef sitting atop those nachos, I wanted something that tasted good. And you know how I love sour cream, so I had to have some kind of creamy drizzle topping, but was kind of skeeved at the thought of using mayonnaise (despite my deep love for it).

I just started thinking about what I liked on a burger. I’m a traditionalist when it comes to burgers. I love lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup, mustard, and mayo. I have loved me some fancy and quirky burgers, but this is my go-to concoction. So I incorporated some of the toppings in with the ground beef, while others would grace the top of the nachos, all crowned with a glorious Special Sauce drizzle.

You’ll start with my standard American cheese-based queso and build from there, and I promise, you will not be sorry. Enjoy!!

Directions
1. Make Queso: Add milk and American cheese to a saucepan and place over low heat on the stovetop. If you let it sit and leave it alone, it should melt nicely. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking. Alternatively, you can melt in a microwave-proof bowl in the microwave, cooking on high for about 30 seconds at a time, stirring at each interval. When finished, keep warm.

2. Make Beef Mixture: Brown ground beef in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until no pink is left. Drain well and return to skillet. Lower heat to medium-low heat. Add ketchup, relish, and shredded cheddar cheese. Stir together until it’s well combined and saucy.

3. Assemble Nachos: Layer tortilla chips on a baking sheet. (If desired, you may warm them in a 350 degrees F oven for about 5 minutes.) Slather on lots of queso. Spread the ground beef mixture across the chips. Top with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and sliced red onion, if desired. To drizzle the Special Sauce, add a few spoonfuls of it to a Ziploc bag and snip a small bit off the corner. Squish the Special Sauce down towards the corner and squeeze like a piping bag all over the nachos. Enjoy!